Time switch



March 13, 1928.

J. CLIFTON ET AL TIME SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fil ad May 5, 1922 Fgu.

J. CLIFTON ET AL March 13, 1 928.

TIME SWITCH Filed May 5, 1922 S SheetS-Sheet 2 and a March 13, 1928.

J. CLIFTON ET AL TIME SWITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Mar. 13, 1928.

UNITED srAT-Es JAMES .CLIFTON,J3JAMES. :ROBINSON," ANDJOHN SPENCER, OF "LONDON,

ENGLAND.

TIME SWITCH.

Application filed May 5, 1922;.Serial Noi 558,619, andin Great Britain February 13, 1922.

This inventionrelates to time switches,- particularly suitable for shop-wlndow hghts,"

lightsigns, or other purposes where electric current is required for a predetermined."

period of time.

An object. of the inventionls to provide a device wherebythe mechanismcan be set to switch on, "and switch off, at. predeten" mined and selected times, so rendering the service of an attendant requisite only to set the mechanism," and which "can bedone at.

any time duringthe day.

Aecording to .the present inventionfithere with a revolving tappet carrier'driven there hy to rotate at the same speedas the :hour

hand of the clock, at leasttwo tappets ad-' justab'ly mountedon thesaid carrier, means for holding the tappets'in their adjusted position, and amovable trip lever so dis-' posed in the path of the tappets that as they are moved bythe carrier. the said trip lever willbe 'engaged and moved'in succes' sion by each of them; The'purpose of so engaging the trip-lever'with the tappetsis'" that movement. of the said leverrby. one tappet will cause." an abutment faceon the said i lever to be disengaged from, and so release a rotatable or partially rotatableescapement member," pawl orarm, to which the rod operating the electric switch is pivoted;

In one formof the invention, the switchoperating mechanism comprises, in 'combinae tion,an escapement in the formof a partially rotating member having abutments. arranged on opposite sides" of its'axis' of rotation, a means (for-example a coiled spring), always tending to rotate said memher in one direction, a switch operatively connected with'said member, ment face formed on the trip-lever near the axis of the same andnorrnally engaging an abutment on the escapement The tappet contact faceof the trip-lever which is at 'a greater-distance from the axis of the said lever is disposed in the path ofv the tappets.

And in order thatthe invention may be readily understood we will now describe it fully with reference to the'accompanying drawings, wherein:

F igurel is an elevationof time switch as seen from the back when" the case is opened, thedotted circular line show ing the position-which the electric switch .and .an abut- 'The carrier 6 is responding to the hours of the clock dial.

* sion spring .1.

the improved would occupy whenthe case is closed, said switch being situated in the case:

Figure2 is' a being. closed.

Figure 3 is a sideelevation of Fig. 1,loo'kplan of Fig. 1, the back ing from the right, also with the back of the case closed.

Figuresd and 5 are detail views of the partially rotatableescapement member and.

the trip-"lever respectively.

Figure '6 isa similar view to F 1 of an apparatus adapted to' operate over a period of time exceeding twenty-four hours.

Figures? and 8 are details of certain." parts: illustrated in Figure 6.

The same letters of reference indicate" like parts throughoutthe drawings;

Referring to Figures *1 to 5, which show" the mechanism intended to operate fora period of twenty-four hours only, the parts of the clock mechanism which are illiis trated, are simply those necessary for the understanding of the invention. The arbor (Z of the hour hand or the hour pinion ti the back portion of of the clock'is geared with the pinion d through an the pinions (Z (Z rotate in the same direction with a gear ratio of 1 to 1. Fast on the spind'le'oi the pinion (Z is a tappet can which engagethe tappets g and h on the carrier 0, and hereinafter fully referred to.

On the'spindle of the pinion (1 two tap-j petsg and h are loosely and radially applied and the angular position of these tappets intermediate pinion "(Z so that rier e, in the form of a disc having a ring of teeth or analogousineans on itsfac'e, into f by means .of: a coiled spring. d

is slightly longer than the tappet g for a a purpose which 'will be presently explained. marked with figures cor- A trip-lever 2', pivotally mountedat' i is normally held in the. position illustrated in full lines in Fig. :1, by a counter-balance ten--- an abutment face '70 which is normally held on the trip-lever i is formed in the path of an 'escapemcnt member, pawl,

or arm' a, rotatably v mounted on a spin'dlea WlllCll' 1s connected to one end of a coiled spring 1', as'shown in Fig.1, the other end of which is anchoredto a fixed part of the frame of the mechanism. A setting handle a is secured to the partially rotatable escapement member a, and on a crank-pin j extending from said escapement member a is pivoted one end of a switch-rod having a controlled vertical action, and detachably engaged by its forked lower extremity j with the tumber o of the tumbler-switch V, The object of so engaging the forked extremity j with the tumbler a is to enable the front portion of the case containing the clock to be swung open away from the back on its hinge in order to wind and set the clock and switch-operating mechanism without causing the switch V to be actuated while so doing.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows :The spring 1" connected with the spindle a is wound by rotating the member, pawl or arm a, by means of the handle a in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, so that a face 6, comprising one of the abutment faces hereinbefore referred to, at one extremity of the member a, is engaged with the abutment face 70 of the trip-lever 2'. This is effected by two motions of the handle a when the member is in its unwound or rest position; the handle (6 is partially rotated, first in a clockwise direction which brings the rear of the abutment face 0 into contact with the uppermost portion of the abutment face is, the motion being continued causing the trip-lever and the abutment face is to be depressed until the abutment-face c has passed and allows the trip-lever and abutment-face is to be returned by the agency of the counter-balance spring Z, when, by a further motion of the handle a in the same direction, the abutment-face b is moved until the said abutment passes the abutment-face 7a with the same action as in the case of abutment-face c, and the trip-lever and the abutment-face is have again returned, as previously described, thus retaining the member a.

In the foregoing action it is seen that the member a and the trip-lever a with its abutment-face is have virtually the action of a click and ratchet during winding. The tappet g is then set in relation with the hour-markings of the disc 6 to the time at which it is required to close the switch V, and the tappet it is set to the hour at which the switch is to be opened again. The triplever i will be in the position shown in full lines. As the disc 6 rotates, the tappet g, at the hour for which itis set, engages the end i of the trip-lever i and depresses it sufficiently far so as to disengage the abutment-face A: from the abutment-face b. The member a is then rotated under the action of its spring until the abutment-face c is arrested by the abutment-face F0, and when this occurs the switch will close with a rapid action. At the selected hour,

the tappet h then engages the-end i of the trip-lever v1, and depresses it still further so as to release the abutment-face 70 from the abutment-face 0 of the member a, where upon the latter will be again partially rotated by its spring for another part revolution in the same direction, thus moving the switch-rod j to open the switch also with a rapid action. The foregoing action having taken place, the clock still working, the switch-operating mechanism will not again function until reset or re-wound.

' In the construction illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the mechanism, suitable, say, for an eight or more day clock, is similar to that before described, in that a disc 6, is provided as before, with tappets g and 2.. This disc,

however, is geared to the hour pinion (Z so that the gear ratio between them is 1 to 2. Thus the disc 6 rotates once only in twentyfour hours. The extremity 2' of the triplever i, being the upper face, is engaged by the tappet g, and the other face of the extremity 2' is so shaped as to be engaged by a lateral projection on the extremity of the tappet b so that the trip-lever will be returned by its engagement with the tappet it. The spring 7' for the member a is of greater length than that previously described, so that by one winding of the spring the memher a will be rotated many times. This member has an abutment-face on one side only of its axis of rotation, and engages with stops on the escapement member a, which stops are constituted bypins n n projecting from a slider a, connected by a link 0 with the trip-lever i. This link can, however, be dispensed with, without in any way affecting the action of the slide. The memher a is connected by a crank 39, as before, with the switch-rod j. The slider n is notched as shown, so as to be engaged by a spring of, and thereby steadied in either of its limiting positions of movement under the action of the trip-leveri.

Instead of guide-slots and guide-pins we may employ guide links so as to impart a straight up and down motion to the escapement member a. 1

It will be readily understood, therefore, that when the trip lever is depressed by engagement with the detent g, the slider is moved downwardly to disengage the stop a from the member (I, also to move the stop a at the same time into the path of the member a, as it moves the desired portion of a revolution allowed for, to close the switch under the action of its spring r. When the triplever i is returned by engagement with the detent it, the stop 01 is freed from engagement with the member and the stop a is moved into the path of the latter to engage it when it has moved another portion of a revolution as arranged for, and thus opening the switch V.

It will be seen from the above disclosure that in both of the devices described the tappets are rotatably movable relatively to the teeth f of the carrier 6 to obtain the de sired adjustment of said tappets, so that the tappets act directly on the lever i and the switch V is turned on oroff as the case may be, by a single movement of the escapement member which we prefer escapcment action.

In both arrangements herein described, the clock mechanism, the switch mechanism, and the electric switch, are all contained in a hinged case, the back portion of which contains the switch V, which is permanently fixed, therein, and which portion is itself fixed to a wall when in use. The front portion of the case contains the switch-opcrating mechanism and the clock, this portionswinging outwardly from the back and so disconnecting the switch from the switchrod j and its operating mechanism when winding and setting the clock and switchoperating mechanism. It is, however, possible to operate the switch V by hand owing to the swinging out of the front half of the case.

Having now described our said invention what we claim is 1. A device of the character described, comprising a switch and means for controlling the opening and closing thereof, said means consisting of a clock mechanism, a tappet carrier driven by said clock mecha nism and carrying a ring of teeth, spring controlled tappets mounted on the carrier, said tappets being adapted to bemovcd free- 1y over said teeth and to take up a definite and positive time position when the movement ceases; a spring-controlled pivotally mounted trip-lever having an abutment face at its axis end, and a tappet abutment face at its free end disposed in the path of said tappets and adapted to be in turn deflected downwardly by each of said tappets; a partially rotatable escapement member having two contact faces in the path of which the abutment face at the axis of the trip lever is normally held, one of the abutment faces being at a greater distance from the axis than the other abutment face; permanently fixed means for winding the said escapement member, an electric switch, a switch-rod having a controlled vertical movement and pivoted at one end to the escapement member and at the other end detachably engaging the electric switch substantially as herein described.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a switch and means for opening and closing the switch, said means consist ing of clock mechanism, a tappet carrier regularly rotatable by said clock mechanism and having a ring of teeth, spring controlled tappets mounted on the carrier and adapted to call a one-beat to be moved freely over said teeth and be adjusted to a definite and positive time position when the movement ceases, a springcontrolled, pivotally'mounted trip lever having an abutment face at its axis end and a tappet abutment face at its free end disposed in the path of movement of said tappets and adapted. to be in turn deflected downwardly by each of the tappets, a switch operating device having a controlled vertical move? ment, and an escapement means cooperating with the said switch operatingdevice and the said trip lever, the switch operating device having means to detachably engage the means for controlling the opening and closing of the switch, the escapcment means) having a part to engage the switch operating device and to automatically shift the position of the latter in accordance with the actuation of the trip lever by the tappets.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a switch and means for controlling the opening and closing thereof, said means consisting of a clock mechanism, a tappet carrier driven by said clock mechanismand carrying a ring of teeth, spring controlled tappets mounted on the carrier, said tappets being adapted to be moved free 1y over said teeth and to take up a definite and positive time position when the movementceases; a spring-controlled pivotally mounted trip-lever having an abutment face at its axis end, and a tappct abutment face at its free end disposed in the path of said tappets and adapted to he in turn deflected downwardly by each of said tappets; a partially rotatable cscapement member having two contact faces in the path of which the abutment face is normally held, one of the abutment faces being at a greater distance from the axis than the other abutment face; permanently fixed means for winding the said escapement member, an electric switch, a switch-rod having a contro'lled vertical movement pivoted at one end to the escapement member and at the other end detachably engaging the electric switch, said mechanism being arranged in a casing comprising hinged parts, the switch and controlling mechanism therefor being secured respectively on one of the hinged parts, the other on the other hinged part of the casing, substantially as herein described.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a switch and means for controlling the opening and closing thereof, said means consisting of a clock mechanism, a tappet carrier driven by said clock mechanism and carrying a ring of teeth, spring controlled tappets mounted on the carrier, said tappets being adapted to be moved freely over said teeth and to take u a definite and positive time position when the movement ceases; a spring-controlled pivotally mounted trip-lever having an abutment r ably engaging the electric switch,

face at its free end disposed in the path of said tappets and adapted to be in turn deflected downwardly by each of said tappets; a partially rotatable escapement member having two contact faces in the path of which the abutment face at the axis of the trip lever is normally held, one of the abutment faces being at greater distance from the axis than the other abutment face; permanently fixed means for winding the said escapement member, an electric switch, a switch-rod having a controlled vertical movement pivoted at one end to the escapement member and at the other end detacha fixed handle on the escapement member, whereby said member can be ratcheted in a reverse direction and act with a click and ratchet action in conjunction with the trip-lever and its abutment face.

5. In a device of the character described, a switch, an escapement member connected therewith, a spring-controlled rocking memher for releasing the, escapementmember, clock driven means having ring of teeth rigid therewith and tappets of unequal length rotatably mounted thereon for operating said spring controlled rocking member, and a centrally operating spring normally pressing said tappets into engagement with said teeth.

6. In a device of the character described, a switch, a spring actuated escapement having a depending lever operatively connected with said switch, a trip-lever pivoted at one end for operating said escapement and comprising a projecting arm and a clock driven member having tappets of unequal length rotatably act directly on free end of said projecting mounted thereon and adapted to teeth on one face, spring-controlled tappets of unequal length movably mounted on said tappet carrier, mounted trip-lever having an abutment face at its axis end. and a contact face disposed in the path of said tappets, escapement member having two contact faces, means maintaining the abutment face of the trip-lever normally in the path of the contact faces of sail cscapement member, a switch rod pivoted to said escapement member and adapted to engage by its opposite end an electric switch.

8. In a device of the character described, a clock mechanism, a tappet carrier driven by the clock mechanism and having a ring of teeth on one face, spring-controlled tappets of unequal length movably mounted on said tappet carrier, a spring controlled pivotally mounted trip member having an abutment disposed in the path of said tappets, a rotatable escapement member, one of said members having two contact faces, means maintaining the abutment face of thetriplever normally in the path of the contact faces of said escapement member, a switch rod pivoted to said escapement member and adapted to engage by its opposite end an electric switch.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

JAB [ES CLIFTON. JAMES ROBINSON. JOHN SPENCER.

a spring controlled pivotally a rotatable 

